The invention relates to a front-end body for the construction of a front end of a motor vehicle.
A front-end body for the construction of a front end for a motor vehicle is known, for example, from patent document WO 2009/071244. The front-end body described therein is shown schematically in FIG. 7 together with a base body.
The front-end body known from the prior art includes two lateral supporting elements S7, S8 which are connected to each other via a connecting plate S2, wherein the connecting plate S2 spans the space located between the supporting elements. The supporting elements S7, S8 are held by a crash system S4 located at the lower, front end of the front-end body.
A V-shaped strut which runs to the crash system S4 and is fastened thereto is fastened to an upper, front end of the connecting plate S2.
The front-end body formed in such a manner is suitable for the construction of a modular front end which comprises, for example, bumper, headlights, radiator grill, etc.
In order for the front-end body to be able to be connected to the base body shown schematically in FIG. 7, a transverse connection S3 is fastened to the base body at the lateral supporting members S5, S6 such that said transverse connection S3 connects those ends of the supporting members S5, S6 which are at the front in the direction of travel to each other.
As shown in FIG. 7, the front-end body is brought up to the base body and, by fastening of the connecting plate S2 to the transverse connection S3, is aligned in its entirety in relation to the base body.
After the front-end body is fastened, a radiator unit (not shown in FIG. 7) is intended to be accommodated in the receiving space located under the connecting plate S2.
Owing to the fact that the connecting plate S2 spans the receiving space, the latter is bounded in the vertical direction of the front-end body by the connecting plate S2.
Firstly, this necessarily determines the installation sequence of the radiator unit and of the front-end body because the receiving space is no longer accessible after the front end is fastened. For this reason, the radiator unit has to be mounted before the front-end body is fastened. As becomes plain therefrom, a repair-induced replacement of the radiator unit can subsequently be carried out only by complete release of the entire front end.
Secondly, the known front-end body can be used only conditionally as standard for various types of vehicle and/or series of vehicles since, in particular, the connecting plate S2 frequently requires a different vehicle-induced configuration, which, in turn, involves adaptations of other elements of the front-end body.
Finally, the connecting plate S2 also bounds the receiving space available for the radiator unit in the vertical direction of the front-end body in such a manner that the maximally useable size of the radiator unit is reduced.
It is the object of the invention to provide an improved front-end body for the construction of a modular front end, which, in particular, permits more flexible usability and installation.
This and other objects are achieved by a front-end body according to the invention for the construction of a front end of a motor vehicle, wherein the front-end body includes a first lateral supporting element and a second lateral supporting element which are fastenable to a reference strut, which is provided on a base body, in order to align the front-end body with respect to the base body. A transverse strut arrangement connects the first lateral supporting element and the second lateral supporting element in such a manner that a receiving space which is open in the vertical direction of the front-end body and is intended for receiving a unit, in particular a radiator, is formed between the first lateral supporting element and the second lateral supporting element. A stability element is fastened releasably at one end to the transverse strut arrangement and can be fastened indirectly or directly at the other end to the base body.
The front-end body according to the invention is, in particular, a body constructing the basic structure/basic construction of a modular front end. The fully mounted front end overall forms a module which closes off the front side of a motor vehicle and forms or constitutes the outer skin of the front region of the motor vehicle. For example, a front end based on the front-end body according to the invention includes the headlights, bumper, the radiator grill, the engine hood lock, etc.
The supporting elements in particular form the lateral boundary of the receiving space and are connected to the transverse strut arrangement in such a manner that the receiving space of the front-end body is open in the vertical direction, i.e. the transverse strut arrangement and the lateral supporting elements merely encircle the receiving space and do not bound the latter in the vertical direction of the front-end body. By this means, the front-end body can be brought up to the base body irrespective of the configuration of the installed radiator unit and can be used for several different types of vehicles.
Furthermore, the installation sequence becomes more flexible by means of the configuration of the front-end body. In principle, the front-end body can be fastened first of all to the base body, and then the radiator unit can be inserted into the receiving space. However, the installation can also be implemented vice versa.
The rigidity of the front end is furthermore determined by the stability element which is fastened releasably to the transverse strut arrangement and can be fastened either indirectly, for example via the reference strut, or directly to the base body. As mentioned, the transverse strut arrangement and the lateral supporting elements can be dimensioned for numerous types of vehicles. Only the stability element which is fastened releasably to the transverse strut arrangement has to be adapted to the respective type of vehicle or the configuration of the radiator unit. Consequently, the front-end body can be used more flexibly for different types of vehicle and model series.
Furthermore, the construction space is optimized with respect to the receiving space which is available for the radiator unit. The lateral supporting elements and the transverse strut arrangement do not block the receiving space in the vertical direction of the front-end body, and therefore the maximum dimensions of the radiator unit in the vertical direction are increased. The stability element is preferably adapted to the installed radiator unit and extends over the unit or the receiving space making high use of the construction space.
The front-end body according to the invention preferably has the reference strut which is intended to be leant against the base body before the front-end body is installed and to be fastened to the base body. The stability element is fastened releasably at one end to the transverse strut arrangement and at the other end to the reference strut.
Owing to the fact that the front-end body according to the invention preferably comprises the reference strut to be fastened to the base body, the front-end body can be readily oriented in relation to the base body and fastened thereto. Owing to the releasable connection between the stability element and the transverse strut arrangement or the reference strut, the receiving space in which, for example, the radiator unit is located after the front-end body is installed remains easily accessible. This is advantageous in particular in the case of a repair-induced interchanging of the radiator unit.
The stability element is preferably structured such that the stability element has certain force transmission and deformation properties.
For example, this can be achieved in the case of a plate-like stability element by means of embossing and/or by means of forming stronger and weaker regions in terms of material.
As already mentioned, the front-end body according to the invention can be adapted to different types of vehicle or model series merely by interchanging the stability element. Furthermore, requirements regarding the deformation behavior in the event of an accident or requirements regarding the protection of pedestrians can also readily be achieved.
The reference strut preferably has fastening portions to which struts running in an engine compartment of the base body can be fastened.
Forces can be introduced into the base body via the further struts to be fastened to the reference strut, which improves the stability properties of the front-end body and, with respect to a lightweight construction to be sought, not least ensures that various elements of the front-end body can be designed to be lighter in terms of weight.
The front-end body according to the invention preferably comprises a first fastening element and a second fastening element which are provided for holding the unit and which extend into the receiving space, wherein the first and second fastening elements are fastened to the stability element. The fastening elements are, for example, fastened releasably to the stability element.
This manner of fastening the unit, in particular the radiator unit, is advantageous because the fastening elements are attached to the stability element. In this respect, it follows therefrom that again only the stability element has to be adapted to different types of vehicle or radiator units. The other elements of the front-end body can remain unchanged.
However, it is also possible to attach the fastening elements to the lateral supporting elements.
Since the fastening elements for holding the unit, in particular the radiator unit, can also be fastened to the lateral supporting elements, it is possible to configure the stability element in a highly vehicle-specific manner. This is because, in this case, it is not absolutely necessary for the stability element to extend over the radiator unit at the fastening portions. This is advantageous, in particular, for the use of the front-end body in various types of vehicles, such as sedans or SUVs.
For example, the stability element can be a stability strut which, starting from the transverse strut arrangement, extends in a V-shaped manner, is fastened releasably at one end to the transverse strut arrangement and is dimensioned such that it is intended to be fastenable at the other end in a region of suspension strut domes of the base body.
The stability element is preferably a stability strut which has an M-shaped course and, starting from the transverse strut arrangement, extends in the direction of the suspension strut domes of the base body and from there in the direction of the front supporting members of the base body.
The stability strut is preferably fastened releasably at one end to the transverse strut arrangement and is intended to be fastened at the other end both in the region of the suspension strut domes of the base body and to the front supporting members of the base body.
In addition, M- and V-shaped stability struts can also be fastened to the reference strut.
Two preferred embodiments of the front-end body according to the invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.